Bad Moon Rising
by PJ XD
Summary: Sam Uley stayed out of trouble. He was a good guy, treated his girlfriend right, fixed up cars for people, didn't fail his classes. Until a fever changed his world. This is the story of how the alpha, and his pack, were born.
1. Transformation

**Sam**

* * *

I rolled my eyes at Leah for the fourth time as she spilled the entire contents of her locker all over the back seat of my car. She bit her lip in that adorable way of hers, looking up at me with sheepish eyes.

"Oops. Sorry babe," she muttered. I chuckled through my teeth, shaking my head despairingly.

"You are such a klutz sometimes," I informed her. She blushed, a rosy glow shining through her copper skin.

"I guess I forgot to zip my bag up before I threw it..." she decided, her dark eyes raking over the back seat, now strewn with heavy textbooks and empty packets of chips.

I raised one eyebrow at her. "You don't say." That comment earned me a playful punch on the shoulder, and I was still laughing as I started the engine and put the car into reverse. My hands felt a little clammy on the wheel, so I readjusted my grip slightly, flexing my fingers. My joints felt wrong.

Leah noticed my frown, as always, and gently laid one hand on my right forearm. "Is everything okay?"

I shrugged it off, not wanting to seem pathetic in front of my girlfriend. I knew it sounded stupid, but I really did get off on that adoring, idolising look she gave me whenever I lifted up something that was way too heavy for her, or whenever I didn't cry when Jack dies in _Titanic_.

Taking the usual route home, I pulled up outside Leah's house, leaving the driveway free in case Harry wanted to park in it when he got back from his fishing trip with Chief Swan, the local police chief in the nearby town of Forks.

"I hope Mom's not in," Leah said heavily, and I glanced at her with suspicion.

"Why?" I asked curiously. She hadn't mentioned any fights with her mother for a really long time, and if I was honest I felt a little panicky that she didn't seem to be confiding in me. Apparently, once that happens, it's the beginning of the end.

She must have interpreted my look correctly, because her eyes widened. "No, no! It's not like that! Just... if Mom is here, Seth will be."

I breathed a silent sigh of relief. It wasn't that she was withholding information from me, it was just that she was fed up dealing with her nearly thirteen year old kid brother, and that was fairly standard Leah behaviour. It was obvious to me that this attitude was a show though. She would take a bullet for Seth in a heartbeat.

My stomach lurched uncomfortably at that thought.

"Sam, are you getting out of the car, or are you just gonna sit there like a lemon?" Her voice snapped me from my reverie.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry, I wasn't with it," I swung one leg onto the drive and hoisted myself out of the vehicle, slamming the door behind me with a fierce finality that made the car rock.

Leah pushed me backwards into the door as soon as it was shut, and quickly stole a not-so-innocent kiss from me before we had to suffer the presence of a parental figure. She broke away, leaning her forehead against my collarbone, trying to catch her breath, as I did the same.

"Jesus, Lee-Lee, you're gonna kill me one day!" I exclaimed, laughing. She grinned up at me, but a cloud passed over her vision and she tilted her head to one side.

"You've grown again!" she accused, narrowing her eyes.

"Have I?" I was surprised. I knew I was tall, and Leah always seemed small and delicate to me, but as I gazed down at her it did strike me that I had to look quite a way down. And Leah wasn't exactly short at five-foot-eight.

"I swear you're about a foot taller than me these days!" she puffed dramatically, and wriggled out of my grip to flounce up the front steps and into the house.

I shook my head amusedly at her dramatics, and followed her in the door.

For a second, I thought someone was being mugged in the kitchen, because all I heard was a scuffle and a squeal. I jogged through the open door, and was instead met with the sight of Leah bear-hugging a girl about ages with the both of us, whilst Sue Clearwater, her mother, watched fondly, and Seth blanked them both, stuffing his earbuds further into his ears and cranking up the volume on his iPod. I gave him a cursory wave and he grinned, absurdly pleased that someone as 'cool' as me gave him any attention.

The girls stopped hugging, and I looked inquisitively at the one that wasn't my girlfriend, trying to guess who she was.

She was beautiful, no doubt about that. Her raven hair was glossy and thick, her eyes the exact colour of milk chocolate. Her smile was radiant, it seemed to be setting Leah and her mother aglow, you couldn't fail to be captured by the warmth of it. She looked like someone who would be a real understanding friend.

I wrapped my arms around Leah's waist and rested my chin on her head, even though she'd slapped my arm many times for doing that. She said it felt 'condescending'. I knew she secretly loved it though, I could tell from her cute little blush.

"I'm Sam Uley," I offered, holding out my hand to the girl with the friendly smile. "I'm Leah's boyfriend."

I saw Leah's lips twitch proudly when I said that out loud, and felt a sudden rush of affection towards the girl I loved.

"I'm Emily Young," she replied, taking my hand firmly and shaking it, in a way I watched Leah do with the bigger Quileute men countless times, as though she refused to seem daintier than them. "I'm Leah's cousin."

Cousin. Now that she'd said so, the resemblance seemed more pronounced. Their attitudes as well, even down to the stance, hand on waist, one hip thrust out, chin up with a playful but slightly belligerent air, were identical. Emily had the same devil-may-care flavour to her that I loved so much in Leah. I smiled with genuine warmth.

"Nice to meet you, Emily," I said politely. She smirked.

"I'll reserve judgement before making that claim." Her answer was sharp, and quick. I grinned.

"Touché."

"So, Sam..." Sue called for my attention, and I turned to her with my usual ass-kissing expectant smile.

"Yeah?"

"There's a shelf in the bathroom that needs putting up, would you mind...?" she began, but my eyes swam out of focus before she'd managed to finish. She frowned at me, concern in her eyes, and I felt Leah's hand fly to my forehead.

It was really, really freezing. Like she had held it in a bucket of ice.

In fact, it felt like that one time I'd torn a gash in my shoulder helping old Billy Black shift some old parts for the Chevy that he'd recently sold to a really idiotic Chief Swan, and I'd let Dr. Cullen stitch me up. His fingers were so frigid that they made my entire back erupt in goosebumps.

"Baby, are you okay? You're burning up!" Leah fretted, and I sucked in a breath to tell her I was fine.

The words didn't come out. Instead, I gripped the counter to stop myself landing ass first on the stone floor.

"I... I think I should go home..." I muttered, my words slurring ever so slightly.

Leah's eyes were wide with sudden panic. "I don't... Sam..."

"I have to go," I insisted, and turned on my heel, resolutely ignoring the four pairs of eyes staring incredulously at my retreating back.

"Sam?" I crossed paths with Harry Clearwater and old Quil Ateara in the doorway. Old Quil's eyes trebled in circumference as he took in my face, and he shakily raised a hand to his mouth. I barely noticed that, however. I was too busy trying not to pass out.

"Sam, are you feeling okay? You look a bit... crazed."

"I just need to go home."

"You aren't fit to drive."

"I'll walk, I just..." I lurched out of the doorway, and down the path, reaching the sidewalk in time to glance back and see a meaningful look being exchanged between the two men in the doorway. After a moment's hesitation, they turned on their heels and followed me, as I, for whatever unknowable reason, began to walk shakily towards the forest.

"Sam, wait..." Harry pleaded. Contrarily, I moved faster. I wasn't aware why. The anger inside me, anger that had barely been present a second beforehand, swelled and raged, and every single movement, of mine and the older men, fanned the flames of my fury.

Once I was safely engulfed in trees, I turned back to face old Quil and Harry.

"Go home!" I shouted, the anger making my voice quake.

"No," Harry replied calmly, which made me all the more irritated. "Sam, something is happening to you..."

"Are you trying to tell me how I'm feeling now, is that it?" I bellowed in his undeserving face. Old Quil took a step back, pulling Harry with him. Their secrecy seemed to infuriate me all the more. Nothing they could do would stop my wrath.

"No, Sam. This hasn't happened for a while, but we think..."

"I don't care what you think, old man!" It was Quil's turn to get chewed out by me. He pulled Harry a step backwards once more.

"I'm not contagious!" I roared, the sound tearing out of my mouth like a howl from a wounded animal – I had never heard myself make a noise that was less human.

"We know that," Harry answered, palms spread in the universal sign for 'I'm not going to hurt you, take it easy'.

But I couldn't take it easy. I felt my chest constricting, felt a sudden, horrible fire raging in my bones, and shuddered violently against the sensation, the heat coursing through me.

"Tell me what the big secret is!!" I growled.

And that's when I exploded.

_**

* * *

**_

A/N: This idea just took me hostage one day, and I've had this chapter written for a while, so I thought I'd post it. I think I'm going to continue the whole 'Sam's story' thing, I'm not sure how long for or where to, but at least I sort of know where I'm going.

_**Merry Christmas!**_

_**PJ XD**_


	2. Phases

_Day One_

I ran away from Harry and Quil. I think they chased after me, but I was too fast. I've been wandering the woods for hours, but I don't feel tired yet. I just feel hollow. There's silence in my head, and it makes me nervous. I keep thinking about Leah. She must be wondering where I am. I bet she's called me. It's dark out.

I don't know where I am. I feel wrong, like my feet aren't mine. I seem bigger. I'm confused. I try to call out for help, but I can't make the right noise.

Nobody comes.

* * *

_Day Two_

When the sun rose, I realised I'd been out all morning. I still can't work out what's happened to me. I woke up, and I thought I'd just got really drunk last night. Then I opened my eyes and saw the fur. Am I some sort of monster? That would make sense, I guess.

I'm really hungry, but I'm still lost in the forest. I'll have to starve. Leah and my mom are probably going crazy with worry. I don't want to go back to them. Not yet. I'd scare them. Hell, I scare myself.

Already I feel lonely.

* * *

_Day Three_

I heard old Quil searching for me today, so I ran deeper into the woods. He yelled my name countless times, but it wasn't like I could answer. He should be at home looking out for his grandson, not chasing monsters around the forest near First Beach.

I'm still a monster. I put my head down on my paws today and cried. I just want to go back to normal, to go back to Leah. Is that too much to ask?

Fate thinks so.

* * *

_Day Four_

I came out at the edge of the woods behind Billy Black's old garages today. I watched his youngest, Jacob, doing some work on the Chevy he's just sold. Jacob's just about fifteen, but he's a shy kid. He's never told me he's a good mechanic, which watching him, I can see that he is. Maybe that's all I'm destined for now? Watching in the shadows like some ghoulish nightmare figure. The thought makes me feel sick to my stomach.

I'd rather be dead.

* * *

_Day Five_

I'm starving. I look even more like an animal, with my jaw dripping with saliva. I must look like a rabid dog or something. I caught sight of my reflection in the river today, and I nearly cried again. I'm repulsive.

I'll never see Leah again. Maybe I should just starve myself to death. That would be kinder.

I ran circles around the forest in La Push. It was strange… I knew where I was going. My sense of direction was way better than I'd ever given myself credit for. Either that, or it had improved… I couldn't say which.

I watched Jacob Black working on the Chevy's engine again. It was therapeutic for me – there was something seriously calming about the kid, you couldn't help but relax in his presence, even if he had no idea you were there.

* * *

_Day Six_

I killed a rabbit today, and ate it. Raw. It tasted disgusting, so at least I know I'm not developing particularly carnivorous tendencies yet. Great. Maybe I could be the pet wolf. Locals could stroke me, tourists could too for a small fee. Mom would make some cash out of making me a touring circus freak, at least. What was she going to do without my body-shop wages?

Why does life suck?

* * *

_Day Seven_

I'm scared again. I went near the woods going into Forks, and I smelled something... something awful. It was horribly sweet, and it made my nose itch and burn as though I was going through the monster transformation again. My stomach felt prickly and uncomfortable, so I left.

I just want to go home.

* * *

_Day Eight_

I heard Harry calling for me this time, and I nearly went to him, but I stopped myself. It would be stupid to go near him – what if I accidentally tore him apart? Leah would never forgive me. I miss her so much, it hurts me.

I want to find her and give her a hug. But I can't.

I don't have hands for a start. I'm pretty sure she thinks I've bailed on her. She must hate me.

* * *

_Day Nine_

I killed two wolves today. Real wolves, I mean. I felt pretty guilty afterwards, but they were attacking me, and it had to be done. It was so easy… they were no match for my strength. I couldn't explain how I knew what to do, exactly how to shift my weight and pounce and swipe, but I did.

I've never felt such raw power, and it frightened me. Seems like all I ever am these days is afraid.

* * *

_Day Ten_

I woke up this morning, and I was human. Beautifully, gloriously human.

Bitten and scratched to shit from the fight with the wolves, but with arms and legs and opposable thumbs. The difficult thing was that I was butt naked. I stole myself some pants off someone's washing line, and ran straight over to Leah's. I stood outside for an age, but I couldn't bring myself to go in.

Just in case.

Instead, I went back to my own house. I snuck in the bathroom window, and the first thing I did was hack off all my hair. I didn't want it – I had been uncomfortably hot when I was stuck as the monster wolf. Discarding it into the bin, I examined my now short cut from all angles. It made me look... different. Older.

When I left the house, there was only one place in the world that it made sense to visit. I thought back to the look he had given me, right before I became the big, bad wolf.

I was paying Old Quil Ateara a visit.


	3. Explanations

_**A/N - So, I open my inbox, and I have a review there for this story. This story I've shelved and forgotten about for two years. I re-read it, and decided that, yeah, I wanted to continue it. So I'm going to :)**_

_**This chapter goes out to Believe in Something Bigger, for reminding me about this, and for the awesome review :)**_

* * *

I was totally determined on the way to Quil's. I didn't pause. It was strange – I think the weird wolf-monster episode had suddenly made me faster, because the sidewalk flew away under my feet. I still hadn't called Leah.

I'd been home to grab a pair of cut offs – I couldn't bear to wear a shirt, it was just too hot – and while I was there, I'd glanced at my cell phone. Nineteen missed calls, twelve voicemails. Five were from my mom. The rest were Leah. I hadn't even had the courage to listen to them, I'd just pocketed my phone and ran for it.

God, she must hate me. I hadn't given her any explanation at all; I just vanished into thin air. And my mom, she must have been out of her mind with worry…

That's when it occurred to me that she hadn't been home when I'd gone back. Jeez, she was probably out looking for me with the entire council. Anna Uley was never one to sit quietly and wait for other people to get things done. She was probably heading up a search party.

I felt a pang of guilt deep in my chest at the thought.

It took a surprisingly short amount of time to reach old Quil's place. I took the porch steps in one bound, but found myself dithering outside the front door, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. What was I supposed to say, exactly? 'Um, hi. I turn into a massive wolf-thing. Want to explain that one to me?' Yeah, right.

Sucking in a deep breath, I raised one fist and knocked twice. I gasped when the door rattled on its hinges. Oops. I totally hadn't meant to put that much force behind it.

There were a few tense seconds when nothing happened. I was just about to give up and go home when I heard someone shifting their weight from indoors, and the unmistakeable creak of a chair. A heartbeat later, the door was flung open.

I let out a breath I hadn't even known I'd been holding when I saw the boy who had come to greet me. Stocky, with an easy grin and unusual, short hair like my newfound style; Quil Jr.

"Hiya, Sam," he greeted cheerfully. "What's up?"

"Hey, kiddo, listen, is your grandpa in?" I gushed without preamble. Quil's eyebrows rose fractionally, and his forehead wrinkled.

"Uh… sure. He's here. You cut your hair off."

I smiled wryly. Being observant was not one of Quil's finer qualities. Stating the obvious was, apparently. "Yeah, I did. Mind if I come in?"

"Sure." He turned and yelled over his shoulder. "Grandpa! Sam Uley's here to see you!"

I heard a grunt of assent from indoors, and Quil stepped to one side to let me pass, frowning at me curiously. I shrugged noncommittally in answer to his look, and shuffled through to the kitchen, where old Quil was sitting at their folding card table.

The old man looked up as I entered, sagging with relief at the sight of me. A thousand questions burned on my tongue, but I couldn't think of the right way to phrase any of them, so instead I stood self-consciously by the doorway.

He opened his mouth, I thought maybe to help restore some sense of normalcy to my life, but instead he bellowed, "Quil! Go take a walk!"

"Why?" his grandson hollered back. I could tell that the kid had been desperately wanting to earwig on whatever chat we were about to have. I was beyond grateful that the old man was determined for that not to be the case.

Imagine if the whole rez knew…

I shuddered at the thought.

"Don't answer me back, boy, just get!" Quil Senior snapped, and he waited until the front door had slammed and his grandson's muttered insults had faded away before he regarded me again.

As soon as I had found my voice, I blurted, "What am I?"

The old man sighed, nodding his head slightly, and then scraped back his chair. With the agility of a much younger man, he ambled over to the countertop and plucked a pot of coffee out of its holder.

"Best take a seat, boy," he muttered. "This is a long story, and you'll probably want some coffee for it, too. You hungry?"

I drew back a chair on autopilot, and collapsed into it as I considered his question. I _was_ hungry, starved, in fact, but I felt too nervous to eat. I probably shouldn't have food until I could be sure it wouldn't come back up again.

"I'll take the coffee, thanks. No food."

He set down a steaming mug in front of me and sat heavily back in his chair. His keen, dark eyes seemed to skewer me to my seat. Desperate for something to do, I took a sip of the coffee. It was strong, but good. I took another swig, relishing a completely familiar taste.

"You shouldn't have run off like that, Sam. We went looking for you. We could have helped you, so that you didn't have to do all that alone."

I frowned. "You knew it was going to happen, didn't you?"

Old Quil nodded slowly, not breaking my gaze. "Yup. We knew all along it would happen to some of the kids round here, 'soon as they moved back. We just weren't sure who. You're the first one."

"First? You mean more people are going to…?" I broke off, unsure how to describe the ordeal of the last few days. The old man bobbed his head again.

"You know the old legends, Sam. There'll be more than one wolf to defend us from the Cold Ones."

My eyebrows shot up so fast that it hurt my facial muscles. "Cold Ones? So, you're saying all that wolf stuff… vampires… it's all _true_!"

"You just turned into a wolf, boy. Still want to tell me I'm a senile old loon?" A ghost of a smile crept over his wizened face then, and I couldn't help but laugh weakly at the memory of one of our old bonfires, when I had said those exact words to Quil Ateara. He'd been insisting that the Cullen family were the vampires that our ancestors made a treaty with years ago. The supposed 'vegetarians' who drank animal blood to survive. We'd all found it hilarious, at the time.

Except if I really did turn into a big wolf, I wasn't going to discount any of our legends anymore. "The Cullens?" I whispered.

"Yeah, well remembered. They made a treaty with my grandfather, and Harry and Billy's great-grandfathers, and your great-great grandfather. They stay out of our lands, we won't expose their true nature."

"And what about me?" I breathed. "What happens to me?"

"You're a wolf, now. You change. You're still the same person, Sam, only stronger and faster and more agile. You have the strength and skills to kill the vampires that threaten us. In wolf form, at least."

I blinked. My head was spinning. This was a lot to take in. "How do I change from one form to another. More importantly – how do I change back?"

"In the beginning, it's not easily controlled. Your phase is triggered by anger. You'll learn to control your anger, and quickly, but your emotions have been heightened now. Every time you get angry, you'll be enraged. It'll take real concentration to snap out of it. To phase back to human, you just have to take a deep breath and count to ten, try and calm yourself right down and think like a person, not an animal. At least for the moment."

I nodded, swallowing thickly. "I have to tell Leah," I mumbled.

"No!" he replied sharply. "You can't tell Leah. She's not on the council. Her dad will know, so you can talk to Harry. One day, Seth will probably know, too."

I blanched. How was I meant to explain all this to my girlfriend without actually explaining it? She would break up with me, for sure. My mom – she'd freak! I could only talk to council members…

"There's gotta be a way around that," I protested, but Quil was shaking his head before I could finish.

"No. You want to put her at risk? Or your mom?"

I realised he was right the second the words were out of his mouth. I couldn't endanger them. Ever. Then something he'd mentioned caught my attention. "Wait – you said Seth will know? Why?"

Quil frowned at me like the answer should be obvious. "He's going to be like you, no doubt."

I felt a stab of anguish in my heart at the words. Innocent, dorky little Seth Clearwater, a monster? No way. I couldn't let that happen.

"You can't stop it," Quil said gently, correctly interpreting my expression. "All you can do is be there for the others when they phase. Be their guide, their leader. Is that something you can handle?"

I gulped. I'd never figured myself for much of a leader. I had just opened my mouth to tell him as much, when I thought about the raw, stabbing fear that had overtaken me when I transformed – _phased_, Quil called it. No way could I let some kid go through that alone. Definitely not someone as small as Seth. No decent human being would leave someone to face that by themselves.

"Yeah," I murmured. "I can handle that. If you help."

"Of course," Quil replied without hesitation. "But you should know, boy, that I'm not like you. I may be an old dog, but I'm not an old wolf. Leading a pack, that's on you."

I nodded again, suddenly feeling detached from my body. "Who's gonna turn?"

"Can't say for sure," Quil shrugged. "But I guess it'd likely be Jacob Black, Jared Cameron, Paul Lahote and Seth Clearwater. Oh, and my Quil."

I shut my eyes, the faces of all those boys swimming before me. Jared was the year below me at school, Leah's year. Paul was a year below him. Jake and Quil were only fifteen. Seth wasn't even in high school yet.

All kids, destined to be monsters. I abruptly felt a weirdly paternal rush of affection for them all. I needed to help them through this, when it happened. And for that, I needed to be prepared.

"Okay, Quil," I said, reopening my eyes and sucking in a steeling breath. "Tell me everything."

* * *

_**Next time - Sam learns a lesson in imprinting. **_


End file.
